DESCENT

X -The Patron Goddess (es)

WILLIAM VEIL

William quickly tore his gaze away from the irritating, too-bright screen of his laptop, the words practically swimming in his mind's eye like a school of tuna as he turned his head to look away with a tired groan. He had been at it with this report since afternoon... and that was when he noticed his sister flinching somewhat randomly again for what seemed to be the nth time.

Come to think of it, she had been like this all day long since she appeared on his room last night out of nowhere.

A younger him would have definitely jumped and scream in fright at the sight of his older sister creeping out of the shadows like some sort of ghostly apparition from a cheap slasher-horror film but now... William, still half-asleep at that time just lazily chucked the nearest object he could reach (an adorable cat-lamp he brought from Seoul) in her general direction for barging in like that because what the hell Win, didn't dad even taught you how to fucking knock?!

Instead of relaxing or lounging by the pool like he had for the majority of the day—what? It's his day off! —Winters had stubbornly opted to stay indoors, standing guard in front of the window, looking over him and outside alternately, like a guard dog, like she was waiting for... something, even stiffening and throwing concerned glances around every shadow that was not his or her's.

And I was the one they considered paranoid. William huffed at that, focusing away from his monthly report to pointedly stare at the back of her head, hoping for her to get the hint.

He narrowed his eyes.

No shit.

He's sick and tired of staring at a report that could not magically do itself and let's face it, he is so not going to get anything done with his sister looking like someone's going to jump-scare her any second, anyway.

Because by this point, it's freaking him out too.

Winters flinched again—this time, her gloved hands grabbed over the windowsill as she suddenly lurched forward, almost hunched in anticipation, eyes darting here and there causing him to raise an eyebrow at her as he too, took a peek on outside from what he can see over her head, wondering what's the fuss is all about.

"...What's going on?"

She jerked at the sudden sound of his voice as if stung and whirled around to face him, her eyes too dark and the pupils too blown wide and William was immediately worried and a bit anxious because his sister was literally not moving and was just standing there, staring at him but at the same time, looked like she was not seeing him–

William almost didn't—couldn't—hear the sound of his own voice over his rapidly beating heart, "Are you okay?"

"N... Nothing, I mean, I'm fine..." Winters straightened, visibly exhaling, "I just thought I saw something outside is all."

"Is that so?"

She nodded.

Yeah, right.

Like hell he's buying that.

William made a soft noise of frustration as he abruptly stood up, the chair making a loud screeching sound as he stalked forward to stand by her side. He shoved the curtain a bit, scanning their surroundings left and right, for any sign of anything amiss.

The light flickered outside and the water on the pool glinted prettily because of the moonlight and... William saw nothing out of ordinary.

"Coast is clear," he told her, squinting.